Number 207 - January 2021 - eFanzines.com
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Number 207 – January 2021
Meetings:- St Augustine’s Anglican Church Hall, 100
Sydney Rd, Coburg, Vic.
Getting there: Tram No 19 North Coburg, from Elizabeth St in
the city, or Tram no 8, Moreland Rd from Glenferrie Rd, Toorak,
to Stop 132.
Upfield train line to Moreland Station.
On street parking. Space on the road next to it, which is closed to
through driving. Melway Ref 29 H3. Cyclists can use the Upfield
bicycle path.
Meetings of the Melbourne Science Fiction Club take place on the third
Friday Night of the month. Unless it is Good Friday.
Since 1952
The MSFC is a place where people who
enjoy science fiction and fantasy meet to Most Club Nights – Gold coin for members, $5 for non-members.
discuss their love of books, TV, film and Some nights may cost an extra fee, such as Trivia Nights.
coffee.
Premises open at 8pm on the third Friday of the month, events start
CONTACTING THE MSFC. at 8.30pm. Lights out at 11pm.
General enquiries. Sustenance - Hot food, cold snacks, coffee and hot chocolate and Soft
melbsfclub@yahoo.com.au
NEWare
Drinks MEETING
available.RULES - TILL FURTHER NOTICE!!!
Clubzine.
Editor: LynC ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS FOR MEMBERS
lyn100@optushome.com.au
Single membership $35 Show your MSFC membership card
Website
Family or household $45 when asking for these benefits.
www.msfc.sf.org.au
Interstate Ethel the Aardvark email
subscription $25*
Our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Mel 5% off books and magazines at:
bourneSFClub *plus $10 for interstate subscribers Minotaur
wishing a hardcopy Ethel subscription. 121 Elizabeth St
Our open Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/ (Hard copy not available O/S) Melb 3000
groups/4658278007 www.minotaur.com.au
All denominations are in Australian phone 9670 5414
Postal address dollars. Please send us Australian
MSFC currency or equivalent, able to be banked 10% off all SF books at
in Australia. Dymocks
PO Box 110 Our treasurer will thank you. Southland shop 3067-68,
Moonee Vale Vic 3055 Westfield Centre Cheltenham
MSFC membership benefits phone 9584 1245
2020/2021 MSFC Committee
President:
A year-long subscription to this MSFC LIFE MEMBERS
Alison Barton
fanzine, Ethel the Aardvark, five/six Alan Stewart
issues per year. Bill Wright
Financial Secretary/ Bruce Gillespie
Treasurer: Dick Jenssen aka Ditmar
Mark Ford Discounts at selected Melbourne
Helena Binns
bookshops.
James Allen aka Jocko
Committee: Lee Harding (deleted by request)
James Allen (Librarian-in-exile) Voting rights at the Annual General Merv Binns (dec)
LynC (Ethel Editor, Meeting! If you are good you can actually Race Matthews
Memberships & Outgoing stand for election! Robin Johnson
Communications) Krin Pender-Gunn
Craig MacBride (Webmaster) Access to use the MSFC email list via the
Communications Officer
[Copyright for all artwork The pleasure of being in a place where
and articles remain with the people share your enjoyment of science
Artist/Author
fiction and fantasy.
Original artwork will only
be returned on request.] A copy of our constitution can be found at:
http://msfc.sf.org.au/downloads/MSFC_Constituti
on_2009.pdf
Page 2
Editorial: into the story. We watched the rest with
Welcome to a New Year! Wish I could say no more interruptions. So what had
everything is back to normal, but the truth happened? We found out the alarm was
is, I think the old ‘normal’ is a thing of the caused by someone downstairs burning
past. While this year has opened with some toast. So we were disrupted, but
floods instead of those devastating Fires, kept safe by emergency sensors. All this
the turning of the year has not banished was at the new Palace Cinemas at
Covid-19. Or its flow on effects. Pentridge. They are quite nice, with
One day there will be vaccinations and comfy reclining seats and helpful cinema
herd immunity will come into play, but staff. It is interesting to see what
not yet. developers have done with the old
In the meantime, here is another Ethel for Pentridge prison site. There are now many
your enjoyment and edification. blocks of flats and more being built and
Lyn the building with the cinemas also has an
IGA supermarket and a very busy
[Artwork this issue: Cover provided by Jan dumpling place, called Lucky Little
MacNally Wilson, all other artwork credited in the Dumplings that we really must make a
picture. Photos – LynC, unless otherwise credited.] booking at and try out. Where we were
evacuated to was an open area, just near
The Librarian in Lockdown one of the original bluestone walls. Very
column: well constructed it was, out of smaller
Welcome to 2021. It was nice to see the bluestone blocks than the main prison
end of 2020, it has been a tough year for walls. All the bluestone was quarried on
us all. I hope and trust 2021 will be a site by prisoners sentenced to time with
better year. hard labour. Quarrying and cutting
bluestone would certainly have been hard
A couple of days ago a group of friends & I labour. Pentridge has always been part of
went to see Wonder Woman 84 (See my life (I grew up nearby and one of my
review elsewhere in this issue) and it uncles actually knew several warders.
being 2020 we got about 15 minutes into Some may have lived in his street (he was
the film and the evacuation alarms went about 5 minutes walk from the front gate
off. So the film stopped and we went up on Champ street) and I have been
the steps from our seats, along the fascinated to visit and see the latest
corridor from the cinema and then down developments.
two flights of fire escape stairs and out
into the holding area at one side of the
building. Soon the alarms stopped and all
the black clad cinema people went back
into the building. I think this was when
they were trying to work out what was
happening, as I suspect the alarms was
automatic, triggered by heat or smoke
sensors. After about 30 minutes we were
given the all clear and allowed back into
the building and then the cinema. When
the film was restarted it was wound back
a couple of minutes, so we could get back
Page 3
I also got a picture of the IGA 1980s and 90s.) but if you went into one
supermarket's figure out the front. Not or other of the Sybers Books shops you
sure why they have a Ned Kelly in armour may have consulted with him about
figure. obscure SF or Fantasy. He was widely read
in our field and could help people find
My big news is that my daughter and I something from their childhood or teens.
have finally moved in with LynC and her Expressing an interest in Science Fiction or
daughter. (It only took most of 2020). Fantasy, meant you were given an MSFC
Now I just have to sort out all of my stuff. flyer, along with a ten percent discount if
You would be surprised to know just how you said you might join the club or were
many things I have recycled or given to op already a member. David and Penny have
shops. I had a lot of magazines I was supported the club for 30 years, with
keeping, in pamphlet boxes, that when I donations, member discounts and by
really looked at them, I could just say stocking and selling many secondhand SF,
“thank you” to them and put them in the Fantasy and Crime novels. Their discounts
yellow recycling bin. Been so busy the available to members are listed on page 2
only book I have read recently is Pirate of this fanzine, just like it has been for
Stew by Neil Gaiman. many years. I know members of the club
who joined because they were told about
OK, till next time, stay safe us in Sybers Books.
Cheerio Jocko.
David Syber (1954-2020)
It is with sadness that I report that the
MSFC has lost one of its great
supporters. He died in his sleep, just days
before Christmas. David was a close friend
I have known for over 30 years and was
my daughter's godfather. Condolences to
his wife, Penny. He will be missed by
many.
Back about mid 1986, when I was in
charge of the kitchen, he put me on the
path to making real coffee, rather than
using instant. When Gunny and I decided
to open the kitchen at the club meetings, I
You may not have met David at one of our looked after it and sold soft drinks, tea
meetings lately, (Sometimes, when they and instant coffee, along with biscuits,
could close up their shops early on a snacks and my home-made chocolate
Friday evening, Penny and David would crackles. I ran it like that for a while, but
come along to MSFC meetings in the late when David came along to a meeting he
Page 4
immediately questioned serving instant without any heat, we soon fixed that with
coffee, (even Moccona with it’s nice jars) hot sauce and fresh chopped chillies!) He
and said "Not good enough". He also gave me some amazing little bottles
suggested buying a drip coffee machine of hot sauce, often ones from Blair's
from Cash Converters and using filters and Deaths Head range or similar. They
freshly ground roast coffee beans. This certainly could brighten up any meal,
was a whole new world for me, but the although the dry sprinkle is so hot you
club bought a machine (complete with a could make food almost impossible to eat.
card suggesting it was a wedding gift and (Yes, I have done this)
had never actually been used) and some Farewell my old friend. Thanks for all the
ground coffee from a stall in Footscray good times.
market and off we went. A few meetings Jocko
later when I saw David again his response
was "better, but watch you don't make it
too weak". I learnt by doing and I have
lost track of how many posts of coffee I
have brewed since.
Over the years, we have had many good
conversations about all sorts of topics and
have shared many meals and BBQs. We
talked about his computer and how he ran
Dragon direct to translate speech into
text, which was how he produced many of
the thousands of book listings on ABE
books
He and I also shared a love of hot sauces
and chillies and have discussed many
times whether a meal has enough flavour
(Unfortunately this is the best photo we
and/or heat and thus whether we needed
to add more chopped chillies. (We often have found for David. ☹ )
did. One time his meal was almost
Page 5
Winter Solstice, Camelot Station The image below is my take on the scene. The
In 1988, the author John M Ford wrote the prose photo it is based on was taken by the
poem “Winter Solstice, Camelot Station” as his photographer Peter Olsen, but I have added a
annual Christmas card. few extras. Left to right: Sam Neill as Merlin;
It imagines the scene at the Camelot Railway Heath Ledger as Galahad; Franco Nero as
Station as the various knights of the Round Table Lancelot; Richard Harris as King Arthur; Keira
arrive for Yuletide celebrations. King Arthur’s Knightley as Queen Guinevere. Joel Edgerton as
seneschal, Sir Kay, acts as station-master while Sir Gawaine, having a chat to the Green Knight.
various trains bring knights -- Gawaine, King
Pellinore, Galahad, Percivale and all the rest – Also pictured but much reduced: Sir Palomides
home for the holidays. (Sir Mordred, of course, has just got off a train. King Pellinore is there with
arrives in his own private carriage.) King Arthur his Questing Beast in a crate. And at the windows
and Sir Lancelot make a low-key entrance, and of the railway hotel, the Lady of Shallot and
nobody notices. Morgana le Fay (Helen Mirren) look out over the
You can find the text of the poem at scene.
http://thegreenbelt.blogspot.com/2006/12/wint
er-solstice-camelot-station.html Merry Christmas!
Dennis Callegari
1
1As per the poem, Pellinore’s Questing Beast has escaped and can be seen flying off into the distance.
Page 6
waiting for the third outing in the series to be
published.
Book (and DVD and TV and Film)
Reviews:
The Aurora Cycle
Aurora Rising (2019) and Aurora Burning (2020)
by Aimee Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
review by Jan MacNally As in the earlier series, both of these books have
alternating chapters written from different
They're not the heroes we deserve. They're just characters’ points of view, which is refreshing and
the ones we could find. Nobody panic. provides lots of insights into their histories and
reasons for behaving the way they do. There are
also separate pages devoted to explaining aspects
of the Academy, descriptions of each kind of
squadron member role, the history of the war,
the different races and their relationships, and so
on. It’s a little bit like a Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the
Galaxy, a handy reference guide, especially with
lines like this: “the squad and all their admirers
(may) be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of
Abraaxis IV.”
Aurora Rising reminded me of a sanitised, less
violent version of the film Starship Troopers,
particularly in terms of the training academy, the
gung-ho squadrons of specialised teams and their
various space assignments. The teams themselves
traditionally comprise a specific allotment of
roles, and it isn’t long before we are introduced
I was given a YA SF novel, Aurora Rising, to read to the members of Squad 312. This includes an
by a friend because I mentioned how much I had Alpha (Team Leader, Tyler Jones, star pupil who
also enjoyed another series by Aimee Kaufman could have his pick of squadron members), a Face
and Meagan Spooner, which was the Starbound (Diplomat, Scarlett Jones, who just happens to be
Trilogy (These Broken Stars, This Shattered World, Tyler’s twin sister and who has “a black belt in
Their Fractured Light). Not having been interested sarcasm”), the Ace (“tomboy” pilot Catherine
in YA SF before, I am fast becoming a convert, “Cat” Brannock, who denies having a “thing” for
based on the quality and engaging nature of Tyler), a Brain (“sociopathic scientist with a
these books. fondness for shooting her bunkmates”, Zila
I enjoyed Aurora Rising so much that I quickly Madran), a Gearhead (“smart-ass tech-whiz”
read the sequel, Aurora Burning, and am now Finnian de Seel) and a Tank (weapons/defence
expert, who happens to be “an alien warrior with
Page 7
anger management issues”, Kaliis (Kal) together, using their amazing individual skills and
Gilwraeth). expertise for the greater good. The only member
Although all these squadron members are experts who doesn’t feature enough to make a real
and rate highly based on their skills and expertise, impression is the scientific, almost-Vulcanish Zila
their history of violence and/or anti-social Madran, who uses logic and deadly accuracy with
behaviour, as well as their tendency not to follow a gun to keep her crew mates at a distance. We
orders or cooperate with others means no-one do learn a lot more about her back story in the
wants to choose them for their squad. sequel, Aurora Burning, and it’s a shame some of
Tyler should never have had to make do with this couldn’t have been included in the first book,
them, based on his own stellar career at the since she just seems to be there, ready to shoot
Aurora Academy, but during a reconnaissance someone if they annoy her, but not adding a lot
mission he rescues the sole survivor of a sleeper of personality otherwise.
ship, the Hadfield, which disappeared 200 years Twins Tyler and Scarlett share a wonderful
earlier on its way to colonise a planet called dynamic, and once you get through the second
Octavia III. This decision makes him late for the book, their relationship with their space hero but
squadron draw, and aside from his sister Scarlett personally distant father, their departed mother
and childhood pilot Cat, it looks like he truly does and each other becomes much clearer. Scarlett
get the dregs no-one wanted. has always allowed Tyler to be the leader in their
The cryo-sleep survivor of the Hadfield is a lives and at the Academy, and she freely admits
mystery girl called Auri (Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley), to having joined only so she could remain close to
who sees Tyler as her only anchor on awakening her sibling. Circumstances in the second book
in a universe 200 years after she left home. When lead to them becoming separated, and I enjoyed
he and his squad are sent on their first mission, how she discovered her inner strength and
she stows away onboard, reluctant to lose resilience, that she is a lot more than just a
contact with the only person she has befriended diplomatic, someone who is good at reading
so far. It is no surprise to learn that Auri survived people.
the sleeper ship for a reason, but it will take the Tyler’s relationship with pilot Cat is a whole other
entire book, many action-packed adventures and issue. I liked Cat so much, with her tomboyish
near misses before the mystery of who she is ways and not-so-secret feelings for Tyler, who
becomes clearer. The fact that when she is can’t deal with emotional relationships as well as
unconscious she can unleash massive destruction be the leader. Events in the first book lead to a
on anyone threatening her or Squadron 312 particularly fraught outcome between them, and
indicates she is a lot more than she seems. She is this was one aspect of the book that really
the Trigger, a weapon in an aeons-long war impacted on me. I won’t spoil it by saying more.
between two races, the Eshvaren (the Ancient Tech-whiz Fin comes from a planet with (I think) a
Ones) and the Ra’haam, a kind of massive mind- particular kind of gravity or other environmental
entity that can take control of dead bodies and difference that means he has to wear an exo-suit
get them to do its bidding. Some of these most of the time in order to be able to move
reanimated creatures have infiltrated the elite about. He has anger issues, a smart mouth, and
GIA, which is akin to a galactic FBI, CIA or other frequently makes disparaging and inappropriate
super-secret government agency. They are comments, but you know he has a heart of gold
constantly trying to hunt down and capture Auri, really and will come into his own eventually.
so she and Squadron 312 must forever be on The one member of the squad who really
guard, on the move, trying to outwit their intrigued me was Kal (Kaliis Gilwraeth), a superb
pursuers even while trying to find out who Auri warrior/killing machine from the Syldrathi race,
really is and why she is so important to so many specifically from a very war-like offshoot. They
different people or groups. are at odds with another Syldrathi sub-set, the
What I particularly enjoyed about the first book, Waywalkers, so it has a similar vibe to the
Aurora Rising, was how the crew of misfits Romulans and Vulcans. The Syldrathi and humans
gradually (if a bit predictably) started to work were at war prior to the events in this series, and
Page 8
despite now being sufficiently at peace for Kal to ends oddly. Obviously things are being set up for
join the Aurora Academy, he is still not trusted by the last book, and once again it looks like the
a lot of people. Kal and Auri are drawn to each squadron members are mere centimetres from a
other (I was expecting her to fall in love with grisly end, but you know somehow they will
Tyler, actually), and a lot of the second book is manage to pull off some daring stunt yet again.
devoted to them being somewhere else so she I enjoyed the first book more than the second,
can get further training as a Trigger – and those but having become so familiar with each
chapters tended to drag. It’s better when the character and what has been set up by the end of
squadron members are together, then the action Aurora Burning, I am keen to read the third
picks up again. As a side note, Kal and the other instalment, and learn how Auri and the others
warriors are described in such a way that I just deal with the sinister forces that are conspiring to
couldn’t avoid imagining them as being Elf-like, destroy our universe.
such as Legolas from Lord of the Rings: tall,
slender, fair, achingly beautiful and incredibly Shadow in the Empire of Light
strong. Even the illustration of Kal on the second by Jane Routley
book’s cover reinforces this similarity. I predict Reviewed by LynC
that Kal will become most young people’s pin-up
from this series, particularly when we find out
more about his past, his fractured relationship
with his own father, and trying to deal with his
sister Saedii, who tends to kill first and not bother
about asking questions. When she and Tyler are
thrown together in the second book the sparks
fly, and it is clear we are going to have a lot of fun
following them in the third book.
Something about the second book in particular
that bothered me was how often the squadron
would end up in some skirmish or battle, just
about pull off a win but then something else
would go wrong and they’d be off again, almost I confess I am not a big fan of High Mediaeval
in a panicked, unplanned knee-jerk reaction. It Magical Fantasy. At first glance this appears to be
showed they could think on their feet and had just another in a long series of such. Then I
plenty of initiative, but it got a bit tiresome started reading.
having yet another thing going wrong before they
barely had time to draw breath. Shine is an engaging thoughtful intelligent and
There is also a particular part of the second book strong protagonist with, of all things, a talking cat
that doesn’t seem logical, where Kal is estranged as her best and pretty much only friend. (Blurb
from the others because he had a secret they says ‘telepathic’ but she only ‘talks’ telepathically
eventually discovered. He never told them about to Shine. She doesn’t read thoughts – so
this because he was afraid of how they would technically Shine is the telepath.)
react, and it makes absolutely no sense, after She is a half-caste. This is a dirty word in our
everything they have been through together, for language, and a dirty word in Shine’s world also.
them to react the way they do, especially Auri, Her mother ran off when she was a child, and
who appeared to have fallen in love with him. there is a lot of conjecture that she eloped with
This is such a massive stumbling block in the story Shine’s pale skinned foreigner father. Possibly
arc, but it does give Kal a reason to go back to his because of her foreign father, Shine has managed
own people, which he had always sworn he to be born magicless. ‘Foreigner’ and ‘magicless’
would never do. are also dirty words in this insular magical
The second book also ends not just merely at a society. Despite being well born and well
cliff-hanger moment, but during a scene…it just
Page 9
connected this has thrown Shine on the outer other self died at birth. He was immediately a
with no prospect of claiming that which by genius, and off to Oxford very young.
inheritance should be her birthrite. The “writer” is his brother, Robert, who is also
Thus the story starts, and so far it very similar to pretty bright.
any other hierarchical High Fantasy, but Shine’s The action takes place in New Zealand, where the
life is about to change forever. author is from. There is one mention in the book
Her cousin, banished for being gay (another dirty that she is a woman. This is a very good book, and
word in a society that finds begatting difficult), I could go on about it, but I very much enjoyed it,
rocks up on the eve of an expanded family and I hope you will.
gathering bringing her a present. And not just any I have one complaint! The characters use the
present – a being we would consider a human magic door from The Secret Garden to travel
from a technological society. One with pale skin, about. I am pretty sure there was no magic door
like the unknown father. in The Secret Garden!
In the ensuing week, Shine, discovers much about Obviously one person with this gift can cause a
her family and world which she had been lot of harm!
sheltered from in her banishment. Not just incest, [It is four star rated on both Amazon and
but paedophilia, murder, spies, torture, the Goodreads – LC]
hidden peasant world, and the very real nature of
their beliefs: and detectives with forbidden Film Review: Wonder Woman 1984
technology to overcome their lack of magic. The Reviewed By Jocko with help from Genevieve
week is a total world changer for Shine and her Allen
cousins. And even her powerful imperial family.
Nothing will ever be the same again for any of
them.
From the first moment when we encounter Shine
breaking clods of dirt on her family’s estate we
are engrossed in her world. So engrossed that
days after finishing the story I was still ‘living’
Shine’s life in my head. Thus the power of Jane’s
storytelling.
I don’t know if a sequel is planned, and I don’t see
how a sequel could be as powerful as this, but I
would like to get hold of it, just to make Shine’s Directed by Patty Jenkins. Starring Gal Gadot as
acquaintance again. Diana Prince, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kirsten
Wiig as Barbara Minerva and Pedro Pascal as
The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep Maxwell Lord.
by H G Parry. We saw this at the new Palace Cinemas in the
Reviewed by Edward Pentridge Shopping precinct, so we had new,
McArdle. comfy reclining seats and wide aisles. We also got
an emergency evacuation after about 15 minutes
This is a longish novel, of the film (See Librarian’s column for the whole
about 450 pages, and it is story.) When we returned about an hour later
written about one person, and had the film restarted, we saw how Wonder
Charles, who can summon Woman tackled the jewel store robbers with her
up characters from a book. lasso, whilst trying not to be recorded by store
Apart from this one cameras. It was quite a nice little fight scene,
characteristic everything is real. For a while there with some nice effects and the Lasso of truth was
is no suggestion that anyone else can do likewise! used to great effect to stop the bad guys. The
Then we learn that Charles was himself early break did not disrupt our viewing of the film
summoned from a book, by his mother, when his too much, as it has several episodes and 15
Page 10minutes into the film the main plot of Maxwell skies for a solution. That film was haunting,
Lord finding and using the ancient magical pervasive, beautifully executed and with a
Dreamstone to grant wishes had barely started. I ramping up of excitement as to whether the good
enjoyed watching this film at the time, but the guys would succeed or fail. Hans Zimmer’s
magic has not stuck with me. Bringing Steve evocative score effectively reinforced the
Trevor back as a sort of meat puppet, where he onscreen action and made this film even more
replaces some random man worries me a bit as powerful and memorable.
he could have just been magicked back. If he just In The Midnight Sky, a Netflix movie based on the
walked around a corner back into Diana’s life novel Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-
would have been nicer? I get this point but Dalton, director and star George Clooney
maybe say more on how weird it is that he is grapples with depicting the end of the world in an
brought back at the end of the film... On the engrossing manner, but with limited success.
other hand, stealing an operational F-111 and In 2049 a largely unexplained world-wide
then making it invisible was a fun nod to the cataclysmic event, causing devastating radiation
Wonder Woman comics. I must say the bird levels to spread towards both poles, has led to
armour used when Diana fights Cheetah is the evacuation of the world’s remaining
spectacular. I still like this film, but it is good population somewhere – it isn’t clear where,
rather than great as Diana is a not fully formed although later a reference is made to temporary
character but an almost flawless hero who was underground shelters. There are also space
too obsessed with her boyfriend who died 70 missions seeking new habitable worlds where the
years previously. DC comics seem to be harder to remaining humans can settle and start life over,
make into films than Marvel ones, maybe it is but once again for a reason never explained,
something to do with superheroes who have no none of these missions remain active; all have
friends and little family and live in under- been decommissioned, whatever that means.
furnished apartments like Diana’s in this film. There is one remaining mission underway
undertaken by the space craft Aether, whose
Film Review: The Midnight Sky crew has found a viable planet, K-23, which is
(2020) Netflix actually a hitherto undiscovered moon of Jupiter.
Reviewed by Jan MacNally How this moon was not detected earlier is a
Wilson minor issue in the wider scheme of things. The
Director: George Clooney crew is returning to Earth to share the good
Producers: Grant Heslov, news, unaware of the catastrophe that has
George Clooney, Keith occurred during their long absence.
Redmon, Bard Dorros, Cliff The last person apparently left alive on Earth is Dr
Roberts Augustine Lofthouse (played as a grizzled old man
Screenplay: Mark L. Smith by George Clooney, and by Ethan Peck in
Based on Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks- flashbacks), who has a medical condition and an
Dalton anti-social attitude that suits being alone. He has
Music: Alexandre Desplat chosen to stay behind at an Antarctic research
Cinematography: Martin Ruhe station where he can still monitor the steadily
[CONTAINS SPOILERS] approaching radiation that will soon wipe out all
The end of the world has long been a favourite life. We get to see Augustine in his normal,
scenario in sf literature, films and TV shows. isolated routine, but it is hard to engage with him
Humanity is threatened with extinction from a because he has no interactions with others and is
nuclear war or rogue meteor, and it is usually left so closed off, just staring into space a lot. This is
up to a few brave souls to find a solution, or a where the film stumbles, trying to make us care
new home on another planet. Christopher for someone who doesn’t want to be cared for. In
Nolan’s film Interstellar posited a world-wide flashbacks we see him as a younger man,
grain blight that basically wiped out our basic obsessed with exploring space and finding other
source of food and forced people to look to the habitable worlds, at the cost of having a personal
Page 11relationship with another scientist. These then of course a meteor storm knocks out the
flashbacks are a bit confusing at first because I Aether’s radar and comms, preventing them from
didn’t realise Ethan Peck and George Clooney hearing all pertinent facts. This is the only time in
were meant to be portraying the same character. the film when I felt really engaged and connected
It was the beard that finally clued me in. with the onscreen action in space, when three
The film also crosses regularly to the highly crew members, including the pregnant Sully
trained, professional crew of the Aether, headed (Felicity Jones), her partner and commander Ade
by a couple who are expecting their first child, (David Oyelowo) and Maya (Tiffany Boone)
another young woman and two other men, one venture outside the ship to repair the radar and
of whom has a wife and sons back on Earth. comms. There is light-hearted banter about what
These people would give Dave Bowman and name to give the baby, and a really lovely few
Frank Poole a run for their money in terms of minutes with the crew inside and out singing
being dedicated, unflustered and able to endure along to an old Neil Diamond song. But as with all
long periods of time in space with positivity. The space walks, you just know something bad is
problem is that the crew, although presented going to happen, and it does. I won’t say more,
distinctly enough, don’t particularly appeal or aside from there being a really impressive
engage the viewer. They don’t appear to have sequence involving blood.
obvious emotions, and their experiences aren’t Augustine’s loneliness, regrets and need to
linked to what is happening on Earth. It is almost protect the young girl, as well as to stop the
like watching two separate films that someone Aether crew from returning, do give his life
decided to combine later, on a whim. meaning, and make the end of the film more
During his remaining time on Earth, Augustine interesting, especially when a rather large plot
discovers a young girl (Caoilinn Springall) about point is revealed. The clues are all there, of
nine years old, who has somehow been left course, and a repeat viewing would make these
behind when everyone else was evacuated. While obvious, but I doubt I could ever watch this film
not caring about his own limited time on Earth, again to find out. It moves with ponderous
Augustine doesn’t want the girl, whom he learns solemnity, a funeral march with dragging feet.
is called Iris although she never talks, to die along The cinematography by Martin Ruhe and overall
with him. When he discovers that the Aether is production design are out of this world, stunning
returning to Earth, he tries to warn them off and and probably needed to be seen on a huge
not return, but the comms he is using isn’t cinema screen to do them justice. Alexandre
powerful enough to transmit to the Aether so he Desplat’s musical score is less memorable but
must trek to another, more isolated research strains to provide an emotional subtext to
station that, of course, has a more powerful compensate for the lack of engagement on
signal. It isn’t clear what he intends to do with the screen. But the irritating way that things get left
little girl, if he plans to get the Aether crew to unsaid or unexplained detracts from any
rescue her. So many plot details like this go tendency to become truly immersed, such as why
unexplained or glossed over. Thus begins a trek two characters are able to go against common
to the other station, with Augustine and Iris sense and face almost certain death are just
battling the freezing cold, bitter winds, icy waters allowed to do so.
that should have led to hypothermia and death, The distancing between the film and its viewers is
predatory wildlife and dizzying disorientation. But nowhere better depicted than during the end
these obstacles just seem to be thrown in to credits, when one character continues to tend to
heighten dramatic tension without any long-term ship operations, twiddling and flicking switches,
impact. dials and knobs with earnest but somehow fake
When Augustine eventually reaches the station dedication, as if directed to do so to look busy
and communicates with Aether’s crew, rather and professional. It just looks odd, unnecessary
than just state the situation (world ending, don’t and makes whatever sacrifices happened before
come back, child left behind after he dies) there lose their significance.
are long pauses, half-completed sentences, and
Page 12ASFF Announces the A. Bertram 2011). She has introduced people to historical
and science fiction inspired food and many fans
Chandler Award 2020 have had their first (and possibly last) interaction
(Posted to the ASFF website on with the joys of dehydrated portable soup at one
09/12/2020 by Ion Newcombe) of her panels. At the 2017 Worldcon in Helsinki,
she introduced many con goers to Australian
bush tucker and her home-made Medlar liquor is
a wondrous delight that has been known to make
an appearance at room parties.
Many conventions and fanzines have turned to
Gillian for assistance when needing material to
complete their publication in a short timeframe
such as Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine,
Steam Engine Time, various Continuum con books
and Worldcon con books or to sub-edit Australian
Speculative Fiction when Donna Hanson was out
of commission. Other publications include
SFSignals, Wisconsin Chronicles, Strange Horizons
and SF World along with reviews for Horrorscope,
ASIF and SF Commentary. She has also published
multiple short stories and novels for which she
has been nominated for Ditmars and been listed
in the Years best listings by Ellen Datlow and
It is with great pleasure that the Australian Gardner Dozois. She is the editor of the Baggage
Science Fiction Foundation announces the A. anthology (2010) and co-editor of Masques,
Bertram Chandler Award for 2020 goes to Dr (2009). She spent four years judging the Aurealis
Gillian Polack. awards. Recently she won the 2020 Best Novel
Gillian first encountered fandom in 1979 at a Ditmar award for her book, The Year of the Fruit
Melbourne University Science Fiction Association Cake.
meeting. As so many do, she immediately
gravitated towards their library. She later became …
more active and attended her first convention in
Canberra. Gillian has been a Canberra fan since Many writers have benefited from her editing
2002 and was on the Conflux committee for and history advice over the years, both from her
seven years, organizing historical banquets, being panels and workshops as well as individual,
part of the small team running the Conflux online personal advice. She created the New Ceres
minicon for several years, as well as convening world for a short story and donated the
and judging the short story competition. She was considerable world building to Alisa Krasnostein
a co-convenor of Flycon, the first international for a shared universe.
online Science Fiction convention and was the Dr Gillian Polack is a worthy winner of the A.
GUFF winner in 2014, attending the 72nd Bertram Chandler award. She is a long-term fan,
Worldcon in London. She published her trip speculative fiction writer and organizer of
report, Gillian’s Book of Lists. wonderful fannish events. She has contributed so
Gillian instituted the popular historical banquets much to Australian fandom.
at Conflux where she researched and tested Danny Oz & Jocko
recipes with the help of fellow fans. At Aussiecon
4 she was awarded the Best Achievement Ditmar Read more
for the Conflux Southern Gothic banquet along
with her team and produced a related recipe
book Five Historical Feasts, (Conflux/Eneit Press,
Page 13GROUPS and MEETING DATES: Nova Mob
“Science Fiction as a cultural form”. Normally 1st
MSFC ( http://msfc.sf.org.au ) Wednesday of the month, February to December.
Normally third Friday of the Month. Meetings are 20:00 (08:00 pm)
usually held in St Augustine’s Church – details Contact: novamob@aussiebb.com.au
page 2. Nova Mob has been holding Zoom meetings, but
Next proposed meeting will be February 19, but have also booked the Newmarket Town Hall for
we cannot, as yet, predict whether it can happen the year – just in case. Next meeting will be
in person or not. February 3rd.
Contact the address above for details if you are
Still No physical meetings for any clubs or not already on their emailing list.
Societies or even Conventions in Victoria (and
the rest of the World). Swancon 46 (2021):
( https://swancon.com.au )
ASFF: Dates: 24th April – 26th April 2021
( www.asff.org.au) No other information available yet, and the
AGM – 24th January 14:00 website is an odd mix of what will be and what
The AGM is open to anybody and will be wasn’t.
conducted via Zoom and in person (if permitted).
But since the meeting is in a private home, and Continuum 16: All Possible Futures
the zoom details are likewise private, you will (https://www.continuum.org.au/)
need to contact admin@asff.org.au for details. Normally the Queens Birthday weekend in June.
Continuum has been postponed to 2021. No
VIC SKEPTICS - 'Skeptics Cafe'. dates/venues yet announced. The Home Website
Zoom online lecture: Monday 18 January 2021, is now fixed but underlying sites aren’t working
8.30pm. - Details: yet.
Dr Who Fan Club of Victoria Discon III
( http://dwcv.org.au ) (https://discon3.org )
Nothing on their website ... 79th World Science Fiction Convention
25th August – 29th August 2021,
AUSTREK Washington, DC, USA
(www.austrek.org ) Guests: Nancy Kress (Author), John Harris (Artist),
Generally meets on the 1st Saturday of every Malka Older, Sheree Renée Thomas, Toni
month at the Northcote Town Hall at 14:00 Weisskopf (Editor), and Ben Yalow (Fan)
They are currently holding their meetings via
Zoom. Contact: austrek1976@hotmail.com for an
invite to the Zoom link.
In an open letter Colin Parkinson, the current Scienceworks:
President, wrote: “The resumption of live, face-to- ( https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/
face meeting [sic] will recommence once Northcote )
town hall reopens, I have been in regular contact with Is now open again with
the hall and have been advised that they are hopeful a new exhibition in The
that booking [sic] can commence shortly for an April Lightning room.
2021 reopening. The town hall has advised they are
very much looking forward to Austrek reattendance
next year. “
https://youtu.be/2GEilGr2thg
Open daily 10-4:30 pm. Weekends 09:00
Pre-booked tickets recommended
Page 14LOCS: starting to fray mental health. May you keep a
(Letters of Comment) distance, may you continue to wear your
masks, and may we all come out the other end
Dear MSFCers:
of all of this. In the meantime, we wish all of
you a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.
After what seems an eternity, or just a few
2021 sounds science fictional, and it’s not
weeks (blame the pandemic, I usually do), I
2020, so it’s got that going for it …
have finally gotten around to responding to
Yours, Lloyd Penney.
issue 206 of Ethel. Time to respond, and
(Sent on December 18, 2020)
perhaps brag a little…
LynC, I understand you completely, I miss
hugging friends, eating and drinking with them, Steve Davidson also sent details as to how you
chatting, telling tall tales and reminiscing. If it could submit/register/subscribe to Amazing
wasn’t for Yvonne, I’d be alone, and I am not Stories as mentioned by Lloyd above.
sure what kind of mental health I’d have right
now. Now, the vaccines are being circulated, Amazing Stories:
and 2021 should be the Year of the Vaccine, It's pretty straightforward: our submission
and the end of the pandemic, fingers crossed, engine is accessed through
and knock on wood. submission.amazingstories.com.
Right now, Toronto and area is in lockdown, It requires registration (user name and email
although it may be released for Christmas and only) so that we can properly track and
then locked down again. Our politicians don’t communicate with submitters. Submission
want to be the ones who ruined Christmas, guidelines can be found there as well.
what would that do to their re-election It is also an anonymizing submission engine
chances? That might allow me to get the last (guidelines explain this, including leaving names
couple of presents I want to get for Yvonne, and or identifying information off MS), so that our
then, we can go back to lockdown, which seems readers don't unintentionally introduce biases
to be fairly normal for us.
into their reading.
We hope Bill Wright is doing well these
Unfortunately at this time we are closed to
days…I’ve read about the passing of Merv
submissions, but those interested can still
Binns, John Bangsund and Phil Ware, and we’ve
register so that they're already in the system and
lost a couple of friends here because of COVID-
19. May you all be vaccinated soon. familiar with it when we do open up again.
My letter… Still cold here, and still in Subscriptions are available through our store site
lockdown. Looks like it will be relaxed a little at store.amazingstories.com.
for Christmas, but it will be right back on "Foreign" subscriptions have to also pay a fairly
Boxing Day. This compromise may be hefty postage fee (the land down under is one of
dangerous for some, but it may be the only way the most expensive places for us to mail to, but
people get the Christmas they want, and not the most expensive) for those wishing print
businesses get at least a little money during subscriptions. Electronic subscriptions obviously
what is usually their busiest time of the year. don't have that issue.
We keep our homemade masks on, and hope Lloyd mentioned that you represent the
for the best. My bit of brag is that I have Melbourne SF Club, a club with a long history. On
finished my edit/copyedit/proof of the 7th Sundays Amazing Stories publishes news roundup
modern issue of Amazing Stories, plus a on the website (www.amazingstories.com) - so
number of books, many of which are available please feel free to send me any news items you
through Amazon, and I may have a couple more think appropriate for inclusion.
books to come soon. This is how I have been Similarly, while it doesn't pay, the daily website
spending my pandemic, and my resume looks publishes all kinds of fan and field-related
pretty good right now. content - reviews, con reports, interviews,
I wish I had more for you, but the pandemic critique and fannish stuff. If anyone in the club is
means no going out and seeing friends, and for interested - especially if they'd like to write up
some of us, that staying away from friends is
Page 15the fannish happenings either Melbourne or Nice to meet you and let me know what else I can
country related, it would make a fine addition. do to help.
… Steve Davidson
*listen to me, "down there", as if you can't look
at a globe with the bottom up...
Carol Kewley © 2021
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